Tied Together
by cinderella-loves-her-shoes
Summary: The long-awaited sequel to Coming Home To More Than Love. Harry, Draco and the rest of their family five years from where we left off. When love burns the kids and unexpected surprises keep on coming, will Harry and Draco be able to survive? Repost Chap.1
1. New Years Eve

_Hello everyone!_

_Now I know it's been a long time, and for that I am sorry, but I'm back again. There has been a massive amount of support for one of my best pieces- Coming Home To More Than Love- so I am bringing you the second chapter of the story. Now please keep it in mind that I do have a job (sigh) and school (sigh) so reviews would be splendid. _

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters J K Rowling made. Wish I did, to be honest. _

_Now on with the show!_

**January 1st, 2009 **

"Annnnd, to all mankind!" Cheers erupted from the dark streets as the town clock lay silent for another fifty-seven minuets. Although light was limited in the little town, sudden flashes of friends of family burst into the glares of the street lamps from time to time, emphasizing the thrill of the night. The people of Little Marling had flooded the roads very quickly, but now it seemed that the street party would not end as suddenly as it had appeared. Fireworks cackled and screeched across the midnight sky, and the sea of people bustled and jostled around in the velvety blackness.

Cassius Malfoy-Potter observed the night's activities with mild interest. Another street party – he swore that sometimes Little Marling just made up excuses to throw a wild, all-night fiesta. Come to think of it, it might not even be New Years . . . the Marlingers may have just shortened their year to get another party in . . .

"Now I know I've seen that look before." Cass turned to see his father standing behind him. Harry hadn't changed much throughout the years. He still had his thick black hair, although a few silver blades seemed to have woven themselves through it. Harry's eyes were still as bright and full of life as they had been that distant day, fourteen years ago; when he had married Cass's other father Draco. Nothing had altered Harry's eyes much since then, which Cass took as a sign of Harry's complete happiness, except perhaps another memorable day when the Dead Silvers were still at large.

"What look, dad?"

Harry regarded his son closely. Merlin, Cassius was his father all over. Draco had somehow seeped into his son's genes even though their initial relationship was over. Almost mirror images of each, Draco, Cassius and of course Mattie had been genetically copied on the outside. The only part of Harry that had survived Draco's dominant genes was the brilliant emerald eyes. Windows to the soul, as Draco often said. For that, Harry could feel no resentment to the way Cass looked now – his own eyes were one of the most prominent features on his son.

"Oh, y'know . . . that brooding, 'I-am-thinking-of-things-to-plot look."

"Brooding?"

"It had to be said, Cass."

The young blonde smiled. From his viewpoint at the side of the town square, Cass could make out the shapes of his family. One of the small figures weaving throughout the crowd would be Lexi, his playful ten-but-eleven-years-old-in-three-days brother who still made trouble despite the severe warnings his parents had been dealing him lately. At the far edge of the crowd Cass could see some taller silhouettes dancing around a street light, their arms swaying in the air. Jayden, Harry's middle son and lookalike, was likely to be part of that group. Weasleys made up the majority of Jayden's friends, so it was safe to say that they would be among the pile of teenagers as well.

"I was just thinking how this lot love having street parties."

"That all?" Harry took a seat next to his eldest son. It had been twenty years since Harry had first discovered he was pregnant with twins, and now he sat next to one of his greatest achievements. Cass had surpassed all expectations with his quidditch skills, and was now on England's B team. He had moved into his own flat just a year and a half ago, but now the Cassius of nearly nineteen and the Cassius of nearly twenty seemed to be two different people. Cass had always been a sensible boy, and now he was an adult. It changed the situation, only slightly, but irreversibly, and it had taken both Harry and Draco a long time to overcome feeling like Cass had made this transition all too soon.

"Well, that and the big game this Saturday. I need to impress the quidditch people, dad. I'm good enough for the A team, for the big league, y'know?"

"Of course I know darling, I was there when you started playing, remember?"

Cass gave a wide smile, but turned his eyes back towards the gathering of people still raging around the main square of town. Close to the rows of willow trees on the southern side of the square, rows of couples were embracing. Somewhere within the crowd, Cass knew his thirteen year old sister Caitlin would either be with her latest boyfriend Beau Zambini or desperately searching for him. He smirked to himself, because he knew that Jayden hated Beau and if anything could break the peace treaty between Cass's brother and sister, it was Beau's presence in Caitlin's life.

"Cass, who are you going to impress this Saturday?"

"The quidditch guys from the A team."

"Oh."

"Oh?"

"Well, a little bird told me that Angel would be there."

Cass rolled his eyes. "Please shoot that bird, it tells lies. Dad there is nothing going on between us anymore."

Harry doubted that, seriously doubted it. Angel and Cass had broken up when she had been awarded a place at fashion school, somewhere in London, when she turned eighteen. He had moved out shortly after her departure, and the subject had been touchy ever since. Despite Angel being home for the holidays the pair had barely said a word to each other. Things had taken a turn for the worse between them when Damien Zambini had brought his cousin home from fashion school at Halloween just as something began to surface for Cass and Seamus Finnegan's daughter Clover.

"Listen Cass, I know Clover's a nice girl but she just doesn't hold a candle to Angel. Surely you can see that?"

Cass groaned, "Why are you so bothered anyway, dad? If I do get on the A team, I'll be flying around everywhere won't I? It's not serious with Clover. Besides, even if it was, it's got nothing to do with Angel."

"I'm just worried about you. Ron and Luna are worried for Angel; we just want you both to be okay."

"And I am. If she's not, then that's her problem dad."

"You're mad she left." Harry stated.

Cass buckled. "Wouldn't you be? You were mad at papa when he left."

Stiffening, Harry sighed, "He had to leave. His family made him go, but he came back didn't he?"

"Yes, but she chose to go. Bit harsh, dad."

Harry sighed, defeated for now. "You'll work it out."

Music was pumped around the square as the town clock bade the first hour of 2009 goodbye. Jayden and his two best friends Luka Lupin and Murphy Finnegan had been celebrating all night with some stolen bottles of fire whiskey from Murphy's cellar.

"I dunno, I just think she's a bit old for us." Luka drawled as he took a swig from the communal bottle.

"Old for you," Murphy slurred whilst slumping against the streetlight they were stood under, "But not for me. I forget you guys are fifteen. I'm telling you, getting a girl like Lola Weasley would be heaven, mate."

"She's eighteen." Jayden said.

"Only just. Besides, I'm seventeen. Not much of a difference. It's just you guys are younger, see? Argh, I dunno why I hang out with you all the time to be honest."

"Because we have grown up together?" Luka Squeaked.

"Nah," Jayden shook his head, "He can't get kids his own age."

They stood in silence for a while, occasionally passing one of the bottles around. There seemed to be people everywhere, as if they spilled into the streets. Bursting through the crowd, a flustered young woman joined the trio.

"Evening, Miss Weasley." Muttered Murphy, half-way between awake and unconscious.

"Hey, Bianca." Jayden greeted the redhead. Hermione and Charlie Weasley never did have the boy they were hoping for. Bianca, another fiery female from the Weasley Clan, was known throughout her family circle as a wild child. Her uncles, Fred and George, couldn't have been more proud, but Hermione struggled to rein in her carefree daughter.

Bianca smiled at her friends. She'd changed a lot since starting Hogwarts just four years ago. Her dusky red hair was eye-catching; it hung messily around her face, framing her eyes with a rough fringe, and stopped just before the small of her back, neatly curling into burgundy tendrils. Doe eyes stared out brightly from underneath her mop of hair, perfectly rounded off with brown eyeliner in drastic measures.

Jayden thought she was gorgeous.

"So, you guys coming to the gig next Friday?" Bianca murmured, her eyes somewhere beyond the boys.

"Err, I haven't asked yet." Luka breathed nervously. She shook her head in pity, and Luka shrank back from her. Murphy had fallen asleep since her arrival, and was snoring loudly from his position slumped against the streetlight. Bianca eyed Jayden.

"Maybe."

"Maybe?"

"Beau Zambini ain't great on a guitar."

Bianca smirked. Of course, little Caitlin's boyfriend was in the band that would be playing. "It's more of a goodbye thing for Angel; you can even take ear plugs if you want."

Jayden laughed dryly. He stepped closer to Bianca, so that their noses were almost touching. "And what," he whispered, "Would I get for being a good boy and showing face?"

Bianca pulled away laughing. "We'll see, Jay."

He joined in with the merriment, but turned and began to walk away from her. "Yeah, we will. Come on, Luka, let's go join the party."


	2. Insight

_Hi guys!_

_Thank you to my wonderful readers and reviewers – special mentions to sjrodgers108 and Alemon. Now I just had to do a repost of Chapter One because it just wasn't finished right, so please go back and read the second part of New Years Eve. That would be great. _

_Also please, please review because the plotline of this could really go just about anywhere so let me know what you want to happen and that will take this fanfic to a whole new level. Brownie promise. _

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters J K Rowling made. I do own a computer though, so I can pay tribute to her. _

**January 2nd, 2009 **

"Mmmm."

"Please Drake; we can't do this if you keep waking the kids."

"Yeah, yeah I know just . . . oh Harry!"

"Draco!"

-

"Why'd you stop?"

Harry rolled back into bed and sighed. It was a problem. A real problem.

Draco was just too vocal in bed.

Last night was a prime example. Apart from Cass, the whole Malfoy-Potter clan had arrived back at their modest home in Little Marling during the early hours of the morning after yesterday's festivities. They had spent the whole day as a family, which was hard to do now that the kids were in their teens, and then when everyone was in bed Draco had suggested more festive activities for himself and Harry.

Midway through their private party, Lexi had padded across the hallway and opened his parents' bedroom door because he thought that something or someone was attacking his fathers. Despite Harry's jokes after Lexi had once again disappeared, this was a real issue.

"We can't just not have sex because we've got kids. I mean, we'll end up looking like that pair out of the Adams family." Draco groaned as he pulled his husband into him tighter. A quick morning release was out of the question as well, apparently.

"Well you have to learn to be quiet."

"I can't love. I've tried but I just lose focus."

Harry sighed, "I know, I know."

Blaise Zambini opened his eyes when a stream of sunlight flooded over him. The sound of curtains being sharply pulled back filled his ears, and suddenly it felt very much like Hogwarts again. As reality swamped him, Blaise realised he was no longer in his dormitory but lying in his own bed. The curtain-puller revealed himself from the ensuite.

"Morning dad," Dawson grinned as his adoptive father struggled to find his alarm on his bedside cabinet, "Mam says you don't have to worry about tha' reet now dad. She let you stay in this morning, said you needed tha rest."

Blaise grumbled something incoherent. From somewhere below him, Ginny had already started breakfast. He could hear the bacon sizzling. He looked up again at Dawson, a sturdy young man of sixteen now. There was nothing definitely Dean Thomas or Lavender Brown in Dawson's appearance. Thank Merlin he was such a cross between them that he didn't resemble anyone.

More noise joined the bacon. Bold tones criss-crossed each other, as Blaise heard his other two sons arrive at the breakfast table.

"But muuuum, you let Damien join the under sixteen's quidditch team."

"He was a lot safer on a broom than you are."

Damien then joined to taunt his brother, "Besides, Beau, you're still a baby."

"I'm fourteen! Mum, tell him!"

Dawson stepped out of his parents' bedroom and began to bound down the stairs. Ginny gave a dramatic sigh, and Blaise smirked because he knew how she would answer. "Yes, Beau, you are fourteen."

"I didn't mean tell him about that! Tell him to stop picking on me!"

A quick rebuff from Damien; "I'm not!"

Silence fell for a moment between the three Zambinis. Blaise hoped that the bacon wouldn't be burnt by now as he dressed hurriedly. Dawson had arrived at the kitchen and, at the scraping of a chair, had obviously made himself at home.

"I hate being the youngest."

Blaise, in an act of father-is-god, yelled through the floorboards "Aw, are you that hard done by?"

Peals of laughter echoed from below. Yes, thought Blaise smugly, this was going to be a very good year.

The radio blared in the kitchen as Luna set about making breakfast. Her son's voice flowed throughout the kitchen, and she hummed whilst she washed sticks of celery.

"Hey there listeners, and how are you all today? You been enjoying the holiday season, I sure as well have. Now today we've got a jam-packed show for you, with expert David Fuller coming later at half past ten to share his secrets on the latest intruders to the music scene. So while you're waiting for that, here's the Weird Sisters with the old classic 'Babe you melt me'."

Luna sang along. Johnny had done brilliantly in his new job; it matched perfectly with his personality. As friendly as his mother, but level-headed like Ron, Johnny was now on a steady wage as UK Magic Gold's latest DJ.

"Hey mum, what you doing?" Lola's voice interrupted Luna's thoughts. She turned and smiled at her youngest daughter, already as stunning as her cousin Bianca and sister Angel. Lola had inherited Ron's blue eyes, and surprisingly Luna's blonde hair. Lean and athletic, Lola was also very musically talented. It might be Angelica who had the nickname, but Lola could sing like an angel.

"Blending carrots."

"Ah. Why?"

"Well, don't you want some breakfast?"

"Blended carrots and," Lola glanced at her mother's chopping board, "Celery? For breakfast?"

"It's been cold," Luna trilled, "Some nice hot soup will warm everyone up."

"At ten past nine?"

"No. It will be ready about half ten. I want us all to sit down together and listen to Johnny and Mister David Fuller."

"Who's he?"

Luna smiled and went back to work. "You'll find out at breakfast."

With a grimace, Lola went to leave the kitchen. She made for her sister as Angel had just dropped to the bottom of the stairs. "Careful," Lola whispered, "She's blending carrots again."

"Where's Jenny?" Hermione questioned Charlie as he walked into their shared bathroom.

"Down in the garage. Reading or writing or playing something."

Hermione stopped brushing her teeth and turned to gaze at her husband. "You don't have a clue, do you?"

"Nope."

"And do you care what you're twenty year old daughter is doing?"

"Nope. I'm more worried about what the fifteen year old one is doing."

"Hmm."

Bianca had been difficult recently. She seemed desperate to break away from the family, and idolised her cousin Angel for leaving Little Marling for London. Jenny, on the other hand, was only just looking for her own place. She'd moved down into the garage a few years back, and now it seemed as if a separate house was strangely attached to the back of Number Two. Bianca was always pushing her luck as well, pleading for her boundaries to be removed. But with Bianca, if you gave an inch she'd take a mile – it just didn't add up to Hermione. She put it down to growing up, but Jenny had never been like this.

"That's because I had to be mature, I had a baby sister to look after." Jenny would always say. She was forever protecting Bianca, which was another reason Charlie was looking forward to Jenny moving. It wasn't fair for Bianca to always rely on her sister and never take the consequences.

"I think we should make her get a haircut." Charlie grinned at himself in the mirror.

"Nothing wrong with having big hair, Charlie." Hermione blushed.

"Y'know the reason I feel in love with you in the first place was your big hair."

"Really?"

"I had a strange obsession to comb my fingers through it."

"That's not very nice."

"Oh no, I always imagined it felt nice," Charlie patted her on the head, "And what do you know? It does!"

They giggled for a minute or two, wrapped around each other in the middle of their bathroom. The house was silent – Bianca was obviously still asleep and Jenny nowhere close to their living quarters.

"You know, this would be a great time to-"

"Haven't you got work, Charlie?"

"Well yes. So have you."

"Exactly." Hermione untangled herself and began to walk away.

"Hold on," He grabbed her back into his arms, pushing her against the wall, "Your first assignment is to work on your husband."

Hermione giggled again.

"What's for breakfast babe?" Tonks smiled sleepily as she sidled up to Remus at their kitchen counter.

"Eggs and bacon." He turned his head over his shoulder and gave her a quick, good-morning kiss.

"Beautiful."

At this point, a thud vibrated through the floor. The couple turned to their kitchen doorway to see their eldest son Ethan leaning against the door frame. His shaggy hair was still wet from a shower, but he still looked half-asleep.

"Morning kiddo." Remus welcomed him inside the room.

"Hey dad," Ethan yawned. It had been a tiring week for him. Despite Ethan's condition, he had managed to secure an apprenticeship down at Little Marling's local pub. Unfortunately, this meant he had to work long nights. "Luka's in the shower. Be down in a bit."

"You going out today son?"

Ethan nodded through another yawn, "Yeah, told Luka I'd take him down to the lake to fish for a bit. Haven't seen him a lot lately, y'know."

Tonks sat herself down at the breakfast table, "That's good of you dear."

Remus smirked. A house to themselves for a couple of hours – how on earth could they refuse?

Clover stood nervously at the corner of the main square. She'd taken her own advice and gone simple; brown lace up shoes with an inch or so heel, a deep plum puffball skirt, a brown and purple chequered shirt and thick brown tights (plain – her mother always said patterned were for girls who needed to dress up to be pretty). A bit of mascara, and she was ready. Ready, and extremely lucky, she thought.

Clover Finnegan was meeting her boyfriend. Cassius Malfoy-Potter was a prime catch - an intelligent, good-looking guy around her own age and willing to be seen with her. Plain old Clover. Stupid little Clover.

Fat Miss Finnegan.

Underneath her short, cream body warmer, Clover pinched the side of her hip. She could still pull skin away from her body. God, she thought, why fat? Of everything, why fat? But that had to wait for now, because from around the corner Cass appeared, and he placed his arms around her in greeting.

_Please don't let him feel the fat._

"Something wrong babe?"

_Please don't let him think I'm fat._

"No, I'm fine. So, where are we off to today?"

Cass smiled. For a moment, he thought he felt her tense up. She'd breathed deeply – so deeply he could have wrapped his arms around her twice, if it were possible to do that.

"I don't mind. We'll do whatever you want to do, Clo."


	3. Lexi's Birthday

_Heya,_

_I know nothing much happened in the last chapter, but I think it was important for everyone to catch up with how the characters had got on since Coming Home to More Than Love. Anyway, here's the next chapter. _

_Disclaimer: Same as usual, I'm afraid. _

**January 3****rd****, 2009**

Harry stared down the offending cake and groaned. It was five am, way too early to be bothered about cake decorating, and Lexi's surprise birthday party was already turning out to be a risk. To Draco's utter amazement, Harry had forbidden him from buying Lexi a new broomstick. Harry did have a point; every broom placed in Lexi's hands was destroyed pretty soon after. The child was a trouble magnet, so Draco had to think outside the forbidden box.

And that was how a wrapped birthday present, looking mysterious like a muggle bike, had ended up in the Malfoy-Potter's garage.

Now, on the day of the big party, Harry was faced with the options of icing a cake, decorating the garden, making breakfast as usual. . . the list seemed endless. The one thing that Harry had been forbidden to do was cancel the whole thing, something he really wanted to do. Lexi had behaved himself well the past few weeks, but after the joys of Christmas he had realised it would soon be that time of year again when the whole day was about him. Since then, Lexi had decided that it was well within his right to eat extra desert, or to go to bed an hour after he should have gone.

Harry flicked the radio on. Fuck it, he'd play it loud. Draco was the one who had planned the party, but Harry had been the one to organise it. Once he'd set the frequency right, Johnny's brazen voice beamed through the speakers.

"Good morning listeners, and a special birthday good morning to Mister Alexander Malfoy-Potter –"

Did he honestly think Lexi would be awake at five am?

"You're going to hear me say that a lot this morning listeners, because today is my good friends eleventh birthday. You know what that means? Hogwarts letter soon! Here's a talking point – who remembers the exact moment they got their letter? I do, I was in the bath, singing away to The Shirelles and Will You Love Me Tomorrow. While you're giving me a call to tell me about your letters, I'm gonna relive that moment...."

Harry hummed the well-known song, and a few bars into a set of arms wrapped tightly around his waist.

"Morning Draco."

Draco tucked his head into the crook of Harry's neck, and gave him a sweet kiss on his collarbone. They stood for a while, just breathing in the scent of each other. Draco reached his hand out from Harry's hip and turned the radio down low. Harry turned in his arms to question him, but was met with a pair of soft lips. They kissed for a moment – slowly, sweetly. Harry's arms gently moved to Draco's shoulders. Draco pulled him tighter. The kiss became more searching than before, desperate and urgent.

Backed against the kitchen counter, their legs intertwined, Harry instantly knew where he was trying to lead this.

"We . . . can't . . ." Harry managed to pant out as Draco attacked his neck again.

"We . . . are . . . anyway."

The conversation died suddenly. As Harry was pushed back onto the countertop, and Draco moved himself into position, random thoughts ran through Harry's head over and over.

_I should get up this early every morning._

_How does he know the right spots, every time?_

_Thank Merlin the blinds are closed. . ._

Draco was quickly buried deep inside his husband, groaning into his lips as he did. Still for a moment, two hearts beat as one in the silence of the kitchen. Somewhere far, far away the radio was playing a new tune, but Harry didn't, couldn't, recognise it. He tried, focusing desperately, but then Draco moved.

And everything else faded into a blurry mess.

Draco brought him sharply back to reality with a sharp nip one his pulse point.

"Urgh – Dray. . ." Harry purred as Draco blew on the tender spot.

Harry left open-mouthed kisses across Draco's head and face. Merlin, he was in so deep. Draco pressed his body flush against Harry, pushing himself in further and causing delectable friction against Harry's own manhood.

"Oh, Dray, please. . ."

Draco sent his lips to Harry's ear, biting gently and then harshly, eliciting dangerous moans from his husband. Performing wandless magic had always been one of Draco's skills, but now he barely had the energy to turn the radio up without his wand. Harry's legs clenched around Draco's hips, and instinctively he knew he was close. Between them, pre cum soaked the t-shirts they sleet in, and with a throaty howl Harry came, came, came.

Feeling the tug of Harry's climax, Draco felt himself go over the edge and soar. Throughout it, Harry kept on thrusting, leaving lingering kisses on Draco's lips and face. They slowed, came to a stop eventually but continued panting heavily and stealing greedy kisses from each other.

Harry was the first to regain voice control, "I needed that."

Draco chuckled against Harry's lips. "And you said I was the screamer."

As eleven o'clock struck, Johnny arrived home. Lola was the only one inside, sitting drinking an expresso in their brightly coloured kitchen.

"Hey," She murmured, as he strode into the room and dumped a satchel onto the kitchen table.

"Hey," Johnny replied, pausing before turning the kettle on again, "What's up?"

"Nothing."

"Oh right, and I'm a crappy DJ." Johnny smirked, but Lola's smile was still distant, "Where is everybody anyway?"

"Lexi's birthday party. He rang and said thanks for the constant mentions by the way, but you weren't in."

Johnny smiled. Every quarter of an hour, he'd mentioned Lexi's birthday to his listeners. The station would probably be getting howlers tomorrow. "He's a good kid."

"Yeah."

The kettle whistled, and it filled the silence of the house. With Luna as their mother, it was never usually this quiet. Normally, her father's old associates would pop round – bringing with them unusual surprises. Sometimes a story you could swear blind was a lie, but listened to anyway, but other times weird things; Lola had once been given a dung beetle, though the stranger who had presented the gift claimed it was a trapped Indian prince.

And to think they were related to that sort of thinking.

Lola cocked her head to one side, "So David Fuller mentioned us today in the New Music File."

"Yeah I know. I interviewed him, remember."

She gave a short laugh, "That's quite good though. We could be big."

"Yeah. My sister – the superstar."

Lola pondered that thought. "Do I really want that though? I dunno Johnny."

Sitting down, Johnny took a long look at his sister. She seemed paler, quieter than normal – very unlike Lola. She'd been fine yesterday.

"What's up?" He repeated.

"I just . . . I'm a bit confused. I'm eighteen years old, left school with good grades and have great friends but I just, well, I've got no direction."

"You don't know what to do with yourself, that it?"

"In a nutshell."

"So? You're only eighteen."

"And at the prime time of life. I want to use it to do something useful."

Lola sighed heavily. He probably wouldn't get it. Johnny was always the lucky one – his job evidence enough. How many people get to talk for hours on end about the most random things and then get paid for it? The truth was, almost everyone her age had moved out, got a job and made that transition into the real world. Angel had done it years ago, even Johnny was slowly changing from a boy to a man. Lola was letting herself get behind.

"What are you passionate about?" Johnny questioned, getting up and pouring himself a coffee.

"I don't know."

"Sure you do. You love to sing, right?"

"Yeah."

"So when you're backstage at a gig, what do you get excited about?"

Inside her mind, Lola found herself thinking 'Not the singing part'. It was true. With her voice, everyone expect a music degree or something, but it just didn't excite her anymore. She'd been doing it so long; the novelty of having people engrossed by your songs had simmered down to a low heat in her face every time she was on stage. So why carry on doing it? What made her feel so good that she kept on entertaining?

"I love the costumes."

Johnny grinned, swigging at the burning coffee. "Not another fashion expert."

"Oh no, I could never do what Angel's doing." She gushed.

"Why not?"

"I'm not creative enough in that way. I can sing, but I don't write the songs, y'know?"

"So what else can you do with costumes?"

Lola hesitated, "Wear them?"

"Smartass. You could act; theatre is big these days, or model or sell them or become a mannequin dresser – I dunno, work at it." Johnny gave another devilish grin, before swaggering out of the kitchen, "Come on, we got a party to get to!"

As usual, the Malfoy-Potter's house was crowded to the maximum. At every turn, adults and children and those in the years in between packed the hallways and bustled around the garden. Lexi, dressed in his very best jeans and shirt, wandered around to welcome his guests. From the seating area at the back of the garden, Draco and Harry watched him with proud eyes.

"He is such a good mix of the two of us," Harry beamed, as Lexi finished hugging a disgusted Caitlin.

"Yeah, the others are very one sided in looks and personality." Draco confirmed.

"Can you believe our baby is eleven? I feel old."

Draco chuckled, "Now don't you start. You're only forty, and as gorgeous as the day I first met you."

Harry blushed, answering him in a shy voice, "Flattery will get you everywhere, mister."

Draco turned his head towards Harry can stole a short kiss. He cocked an eyebrow, "Flattery did get me everywhere this morning."

They were joined by their old friends as they laughed, and soon the eldest children had joined the adult circle.

"Before we do presents," Ethan Lupin interrupted the chatter, "Jenny and I have something we'd like to tell you all."

Silence ensued. Hermione and Charlie spared a glance at each other. He leant forward so that she could whisper hurriedly to him, but met no comfort; "I don't _think _she's pregnant . . ."

Ethan smiled, and pulled Jenny into him. Remus and Tonks looked just as shocked as everyone else, which surprised Harry because he knew how tight their relationship was.

"Well, Jenny and I have been together for some time now and we've decided," Jenny looked up and gave a small, shy smile as Ethan continued, "To move in together."

"Hear, hear." Draco banged his glass on the picnic table. Congratulations flowed from everyone, especially Charlie. Once he had stopped shaking Ethan's hand for the sixth time, Draco threw him a look.

"I thought she was going to be pregnant," Charlie laughed.

"Now, Alexander, we have to tell you we didn't get you the broomstick you wanted." Draco struggled to keep a tight face as his son's unabashed look of horror met his gaze. The whole garden party chuckled at the sight. "But, your father and I have decided to get you something else instead."

Cass carried out the parcel from the garage and placed it in front of Lexi, who was mentally undressing the present.

"Go on then, son." A gruff voice cheered from the crowd, and several people laughed at Seamus Finnegan's outburst.

Lexi tore open the paper as fast as he could, sending scraps flying. He worked against the sticky tape furiously, until a gleaming green and silver bike stood proudly on the lawn. There were cheers and 'Happy Birthday's exchanged, as Lexi and some of his friends raced out to test his present on the quiet road at the front of the house.

"Do you think he likes it?" Harry asked Draco as the adult conversations began to filter back in.

"Likes it? You honestly think we'll be able to get him to bed tonight?"

They smirked at each other with genuine mirth then began to weave their way into their crowds of friends. Harry hesitated, and leant forward to breathe into Draco's ear, "It won't be so hard to get me into bed tonight."

He pulled another smirk at Draco and then threaded himself through the crowd. Draco smiled to himself, chuckling "Don't tempt me, baby."


End file.
